The London Guantánamo has been campaigning since 2006 for the return of all British residents from the Guantánamo Bay prison camp, the release of all prisoners, the closure of this prison and other similar prisons and an end to the practice of extraordinary rendition. Human rights for all.

Sunday, January 31, 2016

The extralegal US-run prison camp at Guantánamo Bay has now been open longer
under the administration of Barack Obama than it was under George Bush.

Over January, 16 prisoners have been released – the largest number of
transfers in one month under Obama – bringing the number of remaining prisoners
to 91. As always, not all of the transfers have gone smoothly. The first
transfers were on 6 January, of two Saudi-born Yemeni prisoners: Khalid al
Dhuby, 34, who was cleared for release in 2006, and Mahmoud Omar Bin Atef, 36, who was cleared for release in 2009.
As part of the deal, in return for US aid and cover by the US of their costs,
Ghana agreed to take the two prisoners, and former Rwandan prisoners. The
agreement is for two years and Ghanaian media has reported that the men have refugee
status for that time. However, their move to the country has not been welcomed
in many quarters.

The next prisoner to be released on 8 January
was Fayiz Al-Kandari, the last Kuwaiti prisoner held at
Guantánamo, who was cleared for release by the prisoner review board in 2015. He
will have to undergo a rehabilitation programme before going home, but has been
reunited with his family and other former prisoners.

On this same day, Barack Obama's plan to close Guantánamo was submitted
to Congress. It has yet to be made public but is likely to involve transferring
some prisoners to US mainland prison facilities and effectively continuing indefinite
detention without charge. Nonetheless, it has been reported that his plans for transfer
to the US mainland, which has been blocked for many years by Congress, and
could take place through the use of executive action, may be illegal.

The last releases of January
were on the 21st when Egyptian prisoner Tariq Mahmoud Ahmed Al Sawah was sent to Bosnia and Yemeni prisoner Abdul Aziz al-Swidi was sent to Montenegro. A third prisoner, Yemeni
Mohammed Ali Abdullah Bwazir, refused to leave Guantánamo at the last minute if
he was not going to be reunited with his family and would be sent to a country
he does not know. His lawyer said that he is fearful of what will happen there.
The country was not identified.

This was followed by the clearance of his compatriot Mustafa Abd al-Qawi Abd al-Aziz al-Shamiri, 37, who is reported to
have been held for so long due to a case of mistaken identity. At his board
hearing in December, allegations of him being a senior Al-Qaeda trainer were dismissed.
This does not, however, explain why he was held for so long or continues to be
held. His lawyers have said that he will go to any country that accepts him.

Former Guantánamo
prisoner Younis Chekkouri, who was released home to Morocco in September 2015
where he has since been held in prison without charge, was due to have a
hearing on 6 January. This hearing was put back to 26 January, and in a fourth
delay, without any charges having been brought against Chekkouri, the judge has
now put the hearing back to 9 February. His Moroccan lawyer claims that the accusations
against him do not fall under Moroccan anti-terrorism laws.

On 29 January, former
prisoner Omar Khadr had his bail conditions in Canada reduced to allow him to
stay out past his midnight curfew for work or educational purposes, as he
studies to become an emergency medical responder. Further issues will be
discussed at a hearing next month. Khadr was released on bail in May 2015 as he
appeals his military tribunal conviction in the US. The new Canadian government
has been asked to drop an appeal against his bail status but it has not yet
responded. http://edmontonjournal.com/news/national/edmonton-court-relaxes-omar-khadrs-bail-conditions

Since late December, new rules for psychologists from the American Psychological Association (APA) mean that they can no
longer treat prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, only soldiers. This has meant that
psychologists have been withdrawn from a large number of activities involving
prisoners at the prison. However, the Pentagon has since asked for the use of
psychologists to be reinstated and the rules to be relaxed.

Extraordinary Rendition:

Former British
citizen Mahdi Hashi, a victim of extraordinary rendition, after he was
kidnapped in Djibouti in 2012, who claims that he was tortured and abused with
British and US knowledge when he “disappeared” before resurfacing months later
in FBI custody, was sentenced to 9 years by a New York court on 29 January on
charges of supporting the Al Shabaab militia group in Somalia, where he was
born. Following his “disappearance”, he was stripped of his British nationality
and an appeal is still pending before the UK courts.

The LGC marked the 14th
anniversary of the opening of Guantánamo Bay in 2002 with a candlelight vigil –
“History in the Making” – outside the US Embassy. More than 100 people joined
the action on a cold evening and demonstrators were joined by a number of
former British national and resident prisoners, including Shaker Aamer and
Moazzam Begg who spoke on the open mic. The names of the remaining 103
prisoners at the time were read out and other prisoner campaigners spoke as
well and joined the demonstration. A full report can be read at:

The February Shut Guantánamo demonstration is
on Thursday 4 February at 12-1pm outside the US Embassy and 1.15-2.15pm outside
Speaker’s Corner, Hyde Park (opposite Marble Arch). As well as being the first
monthly demo of 2016, this event also marks the ninth anniversary of our
regular demonstrations outside the US Embassy, calling for Guantánamo to close
and in solidarity with the prisoners. Please join us if you can. For more
details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1664483827101975/

The LGC (@shutguantanamo) is continuing to
hold weekly #GitmObama Twitter storms to raise awareness about Guantánamo
prisoners every Monday at 9pm GMT. A special Twitter storm was held on the 14th
anniversary. A pastebin is available http://pastebin.com/zpx5F7ab
which is updated weekly with the latest information and tweets to raise
awareness about Guantánamo. Please join us online if you can!

2016 marks the 10th anniversary of
the London Guantánamo Campaign! We’ve been busy in that time, campaigning for 8
British residents, other Guantánamo prisoners, against torture and other
prisons in the so-called war on terror, and supporting other prisoner
campaigns. You can read about our early days and unique campaigning methods
here – the history of the LGC during the Bush years https://onesmallwindow.wordpress.com/2016/01/03/the-london-guantanamo-campaign-the-bush-years-2006-2009/
A further history of the LGC, under Obama will be available in March, when the
LGC officially turns 10!

Monday, January 18, 2016

As we have done every year since 2008, the London Guantánamo
Campaign organised the main UK event to mark the anniversary of the opening of the
US military-run Guantánamo Bay prison camp. As in recent years, it was one of
the largest events worldwide, with possibly only a larger protest coordinated by
a coalition of US organisations outside the White House in Washington DC. More
than 100 people joined the London Guantánamo Campaign (LGC) on a very cold
evening for a candlelight vigil, demonstrating the commitment to human rights
of the British people and the desire to see Guantánamo closed even after all
the British nationals and residents have returned.

Shaker Aamer lights candles at the candlelight vigil

Former prisoner Moazzam Begg

This year’s event, on the evening of Monday 11th
January, entitled “History
in the Making”, had a sense of urgency to it: as Guantánamo Bay enters the
fifteenth year of its regime of torture and indefinite detention without trial,
Barack Obama enters the final year of his second term as president of the
United States. It is now six years since he promised to close Guantánamo by
January 2010, in an executive decree he signed in one of his first acts as
president. With less than one year left to go of his presidency, questions have
been raised as to whether he can and will deliver on his many promises to close
Guantánamo Bay.

Although there was good news on the day with the
repatriation of Saudi Mohammad
Abdul Rahman al Shumrani, one of 17 prisoners due to be released this
month, the LGC is particularly concerned about the fate of those prisoners who,
after 14 years, have not been cleared for release and have not been charged, as
expressed in our media
release. Obama’s plan appears to be not to close Guantánamo and end indefinite
detention but to close the facility and transfer the remaining prisoners
elsewhere. The LGC’s rejection of this proposal was made clear on our main
banner for the protest: “Shut Guantanamo – Don’t Move It”.

The LGC is pleased to have been joined by a number of former
British nationals and residents who were previously held at Guantánamo Bay.
With the exception of Shaker
Aamer, released in October 2015, all have joined LGC events in the past,
but we have not pointed them out in the past, and did not point them out on
this occasion, out of respect for their privacy. Former prisoners Moazzam Begg,
who was released in 2005, and Shaker Aamer, in his first unmediated address to
the public (video below), spoke at the vigil. It was an honour for the LGC to have these two
former prisoners share their feelings and views on the 14th
anniversary of Guantánamo with us, and to join us in standing in solidarity
with the remaining prisoners.

Jean Lambert MEP

As an open mic event, there were no scheduled speakers.
Contributions were also made by Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London, Sheikh
Suliman Gani from Tooting Mosque, Lindsey German from the Stop The War
Coalition, American peace activist Paul Polansky, John Clossick and Ray Silk from
the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign, and campaigners Hamja Ahsan, Peter Tatchell and
Dr David Nichol. The event was compered by David Harrold from the LGC and Val
Brown from the LGC also spoke about the case of Omar Khadr.

The LGC was also joined by other prisoner support campaigns,
including for Chelsea Manning, and a contribution was also made at the mic by
the daughter of Munir Farooqi, a British
man currently serving 4 life sentences for terrorism after being set up by
undercover police officers.

Other prisoners whose cases the LGC supports were
mentioned, including Dr Aafia Siddiqui and Shawki Ahmed Omar. CND director Kate
Hudson gave her apologies for not being able to join activists. Statements were
also read out on behalf of Guantánamo lawyers Barry Wingard, whose client Fayiz
Al-Kandari returned to Kuwait on 9 January, and Nancy Hollander, who provided a
statement about her client, Guantánamo
Diary author Mohamedou Ould Slahi (please see below).

As well as an open mic, Sheikh Suliman Gani led activists in
reading out the names of the remaining 103 prisoners (there are currently 93)
and calls for each of them to be set free.

Bernard Sullivan, who joined the anniversary vigil for the
first time this year, spoke at the vigil and later shared his thoughts about
it:

“"Jottings on a Guantanamo Vigil"

I met Shaker Aamer today, and between his media
interviews and speeches to the gathering outside the US embassy marking the
14th anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo, had the opportunity to speak
with him. I found an exceptional character, open, friendly, charismatic, and a
motivational orator, who expressed a strong belief in one human race, without
distinction of colour, religion or race. A living example of how the human
spirit can not only survive the terrible ordeal that he was put through, but
can grow enormously from it. He was overwhelmed by the fact that while
incarcerated for years with nothing to do but sit in his 6 x 8 cell, many
outside with jobs, families, children and many other responsibilities, had
given up years of their time to campaign for him and his fellow detainees.

As an active supporter for the closure of Guantanamo of a
mere three months standing, I found myself in awe of those around me, but
determined to stand with them until the human rights hypocrisy that is
Guantanamo is closed for good, and the many innocents held within, are truly
free.

Only then, can the USA and its supporting allies begin to
emerge from this darkest shadow of their own making, and try to restore the
catastrophic loss of trust of countless people around the globe.”

The LGC thanks everyone who joined us and stood with us in
solidarity with the prisoners still held at Guantánamo Bay.

Statement by Barry Wingard about his client Fayiz
Al-Kandari who was released to Kuwait on Saturday 9 January:

“It has been a long fourteen year road to show that the
United States Government had no actual evidence against Fayiz.

It should really come as no surprise, of the 779 men held in
Cuba's most notorious prison, fewer than 15 will be given a kangaroo proceeding
in the military commissions.Almost all
the guys getting trial "like" proceedings were brought to GTMO from
CIA torture sites in 2006 to "scare up the place."

I look forward to seeing Fayiz and his family back in Kuwait
where he should have been for the last fourteen years of his life.I know Fayiz is too smart to hold a grudge as
he would say "being angry at others gives them power over you, be strong
and ignore those who seek to do you harm.In that way you show you are stronger than them."

Well Fayiz, time to get on with the rest of our lives as we
have both been freed from GTMO.Time to
find your wife and start your family my friend.Let me be the first to welcome you back.”

Statement by Nancy Hollander about her client Mohamedou
Ould Slahi, best-selling author, the last Mauritanian in Guantánamo and
extraordinary rendition victim, who has yet to be cleared for release:

“I speak to you on behalf of Mohamedou Ould Slahi. I know he
would want to thank everyone for your commitment to demand that Guantanamo be
closed, that everyone who is not being prosecuted be sent home or to a third
country and that that those facing prosecution be tried in a regular United
States court with all the constitutional protections that apply to every
person---citizen and alien---who is charged with crimes against the United
States. Closing Guantanamo means closing it forever, not moving it to another
location. Mohamedou Ould Slahi has been incarcerated by the United States for
fourteen years. He is an innocent man who has never been charged with any
crime. Although he was tortured, he remains unbroken. His dignity, humor and
humanity are available for all to see in his memoir, Guantanamo Diary, now
available in 21 countries and 19 languages. We will not cease our efforts until
he is free. ”

The London Guantánamo Campaign [1] and human rights
activists will gather for a candlelight vigil, History in the Making [2],
outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London, from 6-8pm, to mark the 14th
anniversary of the opening of the Guantánamo Bay prison camp.

Activists will stand outside
the US Embassy holding up letters spelling out: “Close Guantánamo” and will hold
a candlelight vigil calling for Barack Obama to fulfil his promise to close the
prison camp during his last year in office.

Aisha Maniar, organiser from the London
Guantánamo Campaign, says, "When Barack Obama became US
president in 2009, he promised to close Guantánamo within one year. Now, with
one year left of his term in office, there are still over 100 prisoners. Almost
all are held without charge
or trial after 14 years.

“While recent prisoner releases are welcome, most
of these have been subject to inexplicable delay.
This includes the release of British resident Shaker Aamer
more than 8 years after he was cleared and the British Prime Minister sought
his return.

“Obama no longer plans to end indefinite arbitrary
detention for the remaining prisoners, and his plan to close Guantánamo merely involves displacing
this extralegal regime, moving the prisoners elsewhere. This
is extremely disappointing from a man who once made closing Guantánamo and
restoring the rule of law one of his main pledges if he became president. None
can be as disappointed as the remaining prisoners, who still have no guarantees
they will ever be released or even know why they are held.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The London Guantánamo Campaign was set up in
2006 and campaigns for justice for all prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, for the
closure of this and other secret prisons, and an end to the practice of
extraordinary rendition. http://londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.com

Since 2008, the London Guantánamo Campaign has each year been the sole
organiser of the UK protest to mark the anniversary of Guantánamo Bay opening
on 11 January 2002. The London Guantánamo Campaign has had no communication
with We Stand With Shaker or Cage concerning the reported organisation of other
events outside the US Embassy and is not liable for them. The annual protest is
a public event and all are welcome.

Take action!

We hold a regular monthly demonstration calling for the closure of Guantánamo Bay. Our March demonstration is on Thursday 8 March at 12-2pm outside the US Embassy, 33 Nine Elms Ln, London SW11 7US: https://www.facebook.com/events/975903689224552/

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About Me

The London Guantánamo Campaign has been campaigning since 2006 for the return of all British residents from the Guantánamo Bay prison camp, the release of all prisoners, the closure of this prison and other similar prisons and an end to the practice of extraordinary rendition. Also on Facebook and Twitter.